Cecil Taylor©Hans Speekenbrink

“You honor Cecil Taylor by being yourself.” – Ben Ratliff, New York Times

ISSUE Project Room and Harlem Stage, in partnership with Anthology Film Archives and the Jazz Studies Department of Columbia University, will present a month-long celebration of the great maestro Cecil Taylor, featuring a range of performances, readings, conversations and screenings, as well as two extremely rare performances by Cecil Taylor himself. The celebration begins May 8-9 with performances by Taylor-influenced pianists Craig Taborn, Vijay Iyer and Amina Claudine Myers, with special guest Amiri Baraka, at the Harlem Stage Gatehouse in Manhattan. Other concerts this month include Thollem McDonas and Arrington de Dionyso and the William Hooker Ensemble at ISSUE Project Room on May 16; a special film screening of Taylor footage at Anthology Film Archives on May 22nd; and two “intimate evenings” with Taylor at Harlem Stage Gatehouse on May 17, and at ISSUE Project Room on May 19.

Roy Hargrove © Andrea Canter

Wednesday, May 2

• 7pm, Sean Smith Trio; 10pm, Mike Stern at 55 Bar & Grill 55 Christopher St. (7th Ave. S. & Waverly Pl.) New York, NY (212)929-9883 55bar.com
• 5:30pm, Louis Armstrong Centennial Band; 8:30 and 11pm, Heath Brothers Quartet at Birdland 315 W. 44th St. (bet. Eighth & Ninth Ave.) New York, NY (212)581-3080 birdlandjazz.com
• 8 & 10:30pm, Randy Brecker-“Pop” at Blue Note Jazz Club 131 W. 3rd St. (between Sixth Ave. & Thompson St.) New York, NY (212)475-8592 bluenote.net/newyork/index.shtml
• 7:30 & 9:30pm, Julliard Jazz Orchestra: The Music of Duke Ellington & Dizzy Gillespie w/Frank Wess Conducted by James Burton III at Dizzy’s(JALC) Frederick P. Rose Hall Jazz at Lincoln Center Broadway at 60th Street 5th Floor (212)258-9595 jalc.org/dccc
• 8 & 10pm, Jim McCarty with John Hawken and special guest Jann Klose at Iridium 1650 Broadway (51st St.) New York, NY (212)582-2121 theiridium.com
• 7:30 & 9:30pm, Hugh Masekela & Larry Willis with Friends at Jazz Standard 116 E. 27th St. (bet Park Ave. S. & Lexington) New York, NY below Blue Smoke (212)5762232 jazzstandard.net/red
• Bob Rodriguez Trio at Kitano Lounge 66 Park Ave. (38th St.) New York NY Friday - Monday (212)885-7000 kitano.com/Jazz-at-Bar-Lounge
• 8pm, Sam Kulik; 10pm, Why I Must Be Careful at The Stone Ave. C & Second St. thestonenyc.com
• Roy Hargrove Quintet at Village Vanguard 178 7th Ave. South (11th St.) New York, NY (212)255-4037 villagevanguard.com

Frank Wess

NEA Jazz Master Frank Wess and the Juilliard Jazz Orchestra conducted by James Burton III will be performing the music of Duke Ellington and Dizzy Gillespie on Tuesday, Mat 1st through Sunday, May 6th at Dizzy's in New York. The Juilliard Jazz Orchestra features Jordan Pettay, Andrew Olson, alto saxophones; Morgan Jones, Chase Baird, Frank Wess, tenor saxophones; Adison Evans, baritone saxophone; Joseph Boga, trumpet; Riley Mulherkar, Gabriel Medd, Alphonso Horne, trumpets; Enrique Sanchez, trumpet; Joseph McDonough, trombone; Nicholas Finzer, Andrew Clausen, Javier Nero, trombones; Alex Wintz, guitar; Samora Pinderhughes, piano; David Baron, bass; and Carmen Intorre, drums.